Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli Laughs in Court After Being Charged with Another Crime

It was smack in the middle of lunchtime when two dozen or so U.S. Attorney’s Office interns filed into the Brooklyn courtroom where Martin Shkreli was awaiting a judge . Stomachs grumbling and sweat from the hot-even-for-June day pooling in their suits, the interns chattered about where they should eat and what they would pick up after the hearing.

Shkreli, 33, was breezily chatting, too. The former pharmaceutical executive came under scrutiny nearly nine months ago, after he raised the price of a lifesaving drug used to treat cancer and H.I.V. patients by 5,000 percent overnight. He raised eyebrows with his explanation for the price hike—that if given the chance, he would have raised it even higher. And he raised blood pressures when he bought the sole copy of a Wu-Tang Clan album for $2 million, tried to start Twitter wars with rappers, grimaced in the face of a congressional committee, and publicly attacked presidential candidates.

Shkreli was back in court Monday for a status conference over the indictment the federal government handed down in December, when he was arrested and accused of securities fraud. Shkreli was initially charged with seven counts, to which he pleaded not guilty. On Friday evening, the government added an eighth count: conspiracy to commit securities fraud at a drug company he once ran, Retrophin. The bulk of the charges allege that Shkreli misled investors at two hedge funds he once helmed, after he lost their money and then started other funds or drug companies to pay back their debts. The new charge accuses Shkreli of taking control of Retrophin stock that he was not allowed to own, parking it with employees and consultants, and then using his shares to pay off previous investors.

The interns prattled on as the room awaited the judge, largely ignoring Shkreli, who appeared unconcerned by the proceedings. In wrinkled stone pants and a blue blazer, Shkreli gabbed with a lawyer on his team, laughing and nodding along as if they were on a first date or networking at a cocktail party. He did keep an eye on the jury box, where the press was seated, allowing himself a peek at the people he’s antagonized for three-quarters of a year.

Shkreli piped down once his main brass, attorney Ben Brafman, entered the room and sat by his side. Brafman is chiefly responsible for muzzling his loose-lipped client and quieting the cacophony of outrage that surrounded Shkreli before he took over. But Shkreli is still the only one in control of his infamous facial expressions. When he rose to enter a plea to the newest count mounted against him, his chest puffed out like a Disney prince. “Not guilty,” he said, as his mouth curled into its familiar smirk. He immediately looked toward the press seated in the jury box. A bit of red crept into this snow-white face, up from his ears and around his eyes.

For the next 15 minutes, lawyers on both sides argued over scheduling and the number of documents. They all agreed to meet back on July 14, again, at lunchtime.

Outside the courthouse, Brafman and Shkreli were swallowed up by a group of cameramen and reporters, though the scrum was much smaller than it has been for his previous appearances. “I don’t believe the new count adds any value to the flawed theory of the case,” Brafman told the group, before he walked away into the sunshine with his clients. Shrekli said nothing as the cameras ticked away.